A question to Mike Lyle re lawn
 

After the initial spurt, growth appears to have slowed considerably.
I'm beginning to wonder whether I planted Astroturf. How can I urge it
on? How about sprinkling with J Arthur Bower's farm manure compost, of
which I have ample?

The weather has been fairly wet over the past couple of weeks, so it's
not because the soil is dry.

MM

MM wrote:
After the initial spurt, growth appears to have slowed
considerably.
I'm beginning to wonder whether I planted Astroturf. How can I urge
it
on? How about sprinkling with J Arthur Bower's farm manure compost,
of
which I have ample?

The weather has been fairly wet over the past couple of weeks, so
it's
not because the soil is dry.

Gosh, MM, I'm flattered. I may shoot my mouth off a lot, but that's
because I'm talkative, not because I'm an expert (on anything!). As
long as the grass is a healthy green, I wouldn't worry too much about
the rate of growth just yet. I certainly doubt if it wants much
fertiliser yet: the little plants may not have the root and leaf
system to process it. But if the grass is going yellow, it may be
asking for a mild liquid feed.

Have you given it its first cut yet? That should stimulate the growth
of extra shoots. There will be advice on the seed packet to suit the
particular mixture you've sowed (is that "sown"?); but I reckon
cutting it about three-quarters of an inch high should be about right
to start with. Stop if the mower seems to be dragging the baby
grasses out by the roots, and wait a few days.

I hope the real experts here will correct me if this is wrong. I'm
away for a few days now, so they can be as rude as they like!

Good luck.

--
Mike.

On Fri, 3 Jun 2005 13:02:10 +0100, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:

MM wrote:
After the initial spurt, growth appears to have slowed
considerably.
I'm beginning to wonder whether I planted Astroturf. How can I urge
it
on? How about sprinkling with J Arthur Bower's farm manure compost,
of
which I have ample?

The weather has been fairly wet over the past couple of weeks, so
it's
not because the soil is dry.

Gosh, MM, I'm flattered. I may shoot my mouth off a lot, but that's
because I'm talkative, not because I'm an expert (on anything!).

In gardening, surely more of a one that me!

As
long as the grass is a healthy green,

It is.

I wouldn't worry too much about
the rate of growth just yet. I certainly doubt if it wants much
fertiliser yet: the little plants may not have the root and leaf
system to process it. But if the grass is going yellow, it may be
asking for a mild liquid feed.

No, it just doesn't seem to be growing very fast.

Have you given it its first cut yet?

Two cuts. One just after we communicated in here the last time, and
another one a week ago. It really doesn't warrant another cut at the
moment, which is why I'm a little worried, because the front lawn
(laid from turf by the builder before I moved in) seems to start
growing again within a day of mowing!

That should stimulate the growth
of extra shoots. There will be advice on the seed packet to suit the
particular mixture you've sowed (is that "sown"?); but I reckon
cutting it about three-quarters of an inch high should be about right
to start with. Stop if the mower seems to be dragging the baby
grasses out by the roots, and wait a few days.

I hope the real experts here will correct me if this is wrong. I'm
away for a few days now, so they can be as rude as they like!

Good luck.

Thanks.

MM

"MM" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 3 Jun 2005 13:02:10 +0100, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:

MM wrote:
After the initial spurt, growth appears to have slowed
considerably.
I'm beginning to wonder whether I planted Astroturf. How can I urge
it
on? How about sprinkling with J Arthur Bower's farm manure compost,
of
which I have ample?

The weather has been fairly wet over the past couple of weeks, so
it's
not because the soil is dry.

Gosh, MM, I'm flattered. I may shoot my mouth off a lot, but that's
because I'm talkative, not because I'm an expert (on anything!).

In gardening, surely more of a one that me!

As
long as the grass is a healthy green,

It is.

I wouldn't worry too much about
the rate of growth just yet. I certainly doubt if it wants much
fertiliser yet: the little plants may not have the root and leaf
system to process it. But if the grass is going yellow, it may be
asking for a mild liquid feed.

No, it just doesn't seem to be growing very fast.

Have you given it its first cut yet?

Two cuts. One just after we communicated in here the last time, and
another one a week ago. It really doesn't warrant another cut at the
moment, which is why I'm a little worried, because the front lawn
(laid from turf by the builder before I moved in) seems to start
growing again within a day of mowing!

That should stimulate the growth
of extra shoots. There will be advice on the seed packet to suit the
particular mixture you've sowed (is that "sown"?); but I reckon
cutting it about three-quarters of an inch high should be about right
to start with. Stop if the mower seems to be dragging the baby
grasses out by the roots, and wait a few days.

I hope the real experts here will correct me if this is wrong. I'm
away for a few days now, so they can be as rude as they like!

Good luck.

Thanks.

MM


yes dont put down manure it will cause an organic thatch layer resulting in
a root break use a liquid feed or a granular keep it well watered also.

On Fri, 03 Jun 2005 15:30:57 GMT, "pied piper"
wrote:


"MM" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 3 Jun 2005 13:02:10 +0100, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:

MM wrote:
After the initial spurt, growth appears to have slowed
considerably.
I'm beginning to wonder whether I planted Astroturf. How can I urge
it
on? How about sprinkling with J Arthur Bower's farm manure compost,
of
which I have ample?

The weather has been fairly wet over the past couple of weeks, so
it's
not because the soil is dry.

Gosh, MM, I'm flattered. I may shoot my mouth off a lot, but that's
because I'm talkative, not because I'm an expert (on anything!).

In gardening, surely more of a one that me!

As
long as the grass is a healthy green,

It is.

I wouldn't worry too much about
the rate of growth just yet. I certainly doubt if it wants much
fertiliser yet: the little plants may not have the root and leaf
system to process it. But if the grass is going yellow, it may be
asking for a mild liquid feed.

No, it just doesn't seem to be growing very fast.

Have you given it its first cut yet?

Two cuts. One just after we communicated in here the last time, and
another one a week ago. It really doesn't warrant another cut at the
moment, which is why I'm a little worried, because the front lawn
(laid from turf by the builder before I moved in) seems to start
growing again within a day of mowing!

That should stimulate the growth
of extra shoots. There will be advice on the seed packet to suit the
particular mixture you've sowed (is that "sown"?); but I reckon
cutting it about three-quarters of an inch high should be about right
to start with. Stop if the mower seems to be dragging the baby
grasses out by the roots, and wait a few days.

I hope the real experts here will correct me if this is wrong. I'm
away for a few days now, so they can be as rude as they like!

Good luck.

Thanks.

MM


yes dont put down manure it will cause an organic thatch layer resulting in
a root break use a liquid feed or a granular keep it well watered also.

OK. As for watering, I hardly ever have to do it. I didn't know the
Fens got this much rain! But not a week has passed so far in which we
got no rain at all. The longest we've gone without was about three
days, I believe. I'm sure we didn't get this much rain down in the
Thames Valley.

MM